Not many bands can sell out The Gov, let alone two nights in a row, but then again The Angels are not just any band. Forming in Adelaide in 1974 they are touring in celebration of 40 years as a band, this in itself is an extraordinary feat given the isolation of Australia in their formative years. Their peers from the early days are all gone except AC/DC, who on the recommendation from Bon Scott and Angus Young helped them secure their first record deal back in 1975. The Angels were credited with inspiring acts such as Guns ‘N’ Roses, Nirvana and Pearl Jam. It is not always the most enviable position to be opening a show at 8:30 but by time local boys Tracer took the stage The Gov was almost full. No need to coax the audience forward as large sections of the crowd were already staking claim to the front of the stage. Launching straight into the first couple of songs with a minimum of fuss, the Adelaide three piece quickly had the crowd on board. The no thrills rock attitude lent itself perfectly to an audience that was there to hear good old fashioned pub rock and have a good time. Tracer flawlessly rolled through a repertoire consisting of their back catalogue and songs from their latest album 'El Pistolero'. They even managed to elicit a spirited audience participation sing off, something I have seen many support bands try and fail at miserably. The lads have been around for nearly a decade and have toured extensively both locally and overseas and this experience was evident in both the musicianship and with how professionally they handled this big occasion This is somewhat of a homecoming for The Angels and one only needed to scan the crowd and it is immediately evident judging by the diversity, that this is a band that has touched a lot of people over different periods of their career. By the allocated starting time the stage was packed solid, and as the house lights dimmed it was standing room only. The crowd erupted as the Brewster boys, Dave Gleeson and Nick Norton launched into ‘Talk The Talk’, the title track of their latest album and by midway through I was convinced that there is no one else more suited to front this band than Dave Gleeson (Screaming Jets). He has the voice, the experience and the extroverted personality to fill the shoes of the late Doc Neeson. The Angels ripped through a set combining a perfect balance of new tracks and the tried and true crowd favourites, songs like ‘Shadow Boxer’, ‘Take A Long Line’, ‘Dogs Are talking’, ‘No Secrets’ and ‘Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again’ with its customary crowd participation chant had the audience captivated. Make no mistake, this is good old fashioned pub rock and epitomises all that is great about Aussie pub rock music, classic hooks, chanting choruses, very little delineation between audience and crowd. The crowd drank, they sang, they danced, they cheered. That, my friends, is rock and roll.Review by Mike Trandafil.Photos by Dean Johnson.